Lovely Tosca Querze Roulien was a 23-year-old dancer and the wife of Brazilian actor Raul Roulien. Her life was cut tragically short in the fall of 1933 when she crossed a Hollywood street and was struck by a car driven by a then-fledgling screenwriter, John Huston.
Tosca Querze Roulien
Her demise is remembered today because Huston, a member of the famous Huston acting dynasty, became a successful, award-winning director and this incident is covered as part of his checkered past in several biographies written about him. Huston himself gave it a brief mention in his autobiography.
Questions remain today as to whether or not a grand jury exonerated him from blame in the accident soley because his father, actor Walter Huston, and the powers that be at M-G-M used their substantial studio influence.
Newspapers of the day chronicled the case and devoted columns of copy describing her distraught widower as well as the civil suit he brought against Huston. What is primarily absent from the story are facts about Tosca herself. Who was she, what was she like, what was her backstory? I found only one article that actually mentioned her final resting place, Grand View Memorial Park, in Glendale, Calif., a cemetery that I happen to be researching.
Questions remain today as to whether or not a grand jury exonerated him from blame in the accident soley because his father, actor Walter Huston, and the powers that be at M-G-M used their substantial studio influence.
Newspapers of the day chronicled the case and devoted columns of copy describing her distraught widower as well as the civil suit he brought against Huston. What is primarily absent from the story are facts about Tosca herself. Who was she, what was she like, what was her backstory? I found only one article that actually mentioned her final resting place, Grand View Memorial Park, in Glendale, Calif., a cemetery that I happen to be researching.
After much searching, I finally located Tosca's grave ten days ago. Her simple, poignant marker was half buried in dirt and grass but cleaned up quite nicely. Forgotten for so long and alone. Roulien died in Brazil in 2000, one month shy of his 95th birthday. I am currently seeking his burial information.
And I'm still on a quest to learn more about Tosca, as a person, so I can give the victim of this story her due. In the meantime, at least she now has the online memorial she deserves at Findagrave.com.
And I'm still on a quest to learn more about Tosca, as a person, so I can give the victim of this story her due. In the meantime, at least she now has the online memorial she deserves at Findagrave.com.
